Customer Doesn’t Want Contractor to Finish

Finishing up a small remodel and the customers have informed me they are not happy with the paint job and do not want him back inside their home to correct what they don’t like. Do they have the right to…

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Finishing up a small remodel and the customers have informed me they are not happy with the paint job and do not want him back inside their home to correct what they don’t like.

Do they have the right to tell me my painter is not allowed back to correct his shortcomings? By stating this directive, they basically are telling me I have to spend more $ on another painter to correct what they dont like. Don’t I get an opportunity to make corrections under a warranty issue?

Our Answer

This is more of a legal question than a home improvement question. That said, my feeling is that you as the general contractor, are responsible for the work of your subcontractors. If your customer feels so strongly about the subcontractor that they do not want them in their house, then you have to make a business decision as to whether you want to hire another sub, make the repairs yourself, or settle with the homeowner another way (and all of this presumes that you agree that there were problems with the original paint project). If you do have to send another contractor in, then in most cases you would deduct the cost of the original project from what you paid the subcontractor, as the expense should really be his and not yours. Make sense?